Car-coupling



(No Model.) 'R. I'. LUDLOW.

GAR GOUPLING.

Patented May 7, 1895.

gli

M mm at the rear end, and is there bolted.

i NITED STATES n PATENT OFFICE.

RODNY F. LUDLOW, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters `Patent No. 539,005, dated May 7,1895.

Applicant nea November 1, 1894. serai No. 527.614. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, RODNEY F. LUDLow, a citizen of the United States,residing'at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio,-haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplers, ofwhich the following is a specification, reference being had therein tothe accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in carcouplers.

The special features of the invention have reference to a draft plateespecially adapted for connection with the engine tender, in combinationwith a head pivoted to the draft plate 4and a knuckle pivoted-tol thehead, with means to .lock the knuckle in coupled position; havereference to a means of supporting the locking pin against dropping outof the coupler in case the clevis becomes detached from the pin and havereference to arranging the draft plate so that it will receive the blowof the knuckle of the other car, incident to coupling,instead ofresisting such blow by the head and knuckle, and thence transferring thestrain to the-knuckle pivot,land head pivot.

In the accompanying drawings, on which like reference-numerals indicatecorresponding parts, Figure 1 is a sectional view of the coupler entireon the line y 'y of Fig. 2; Fig. 2, a plan View of what is shown in Fig.1; Fig. 3, a sectional view of the coupler on the line :c of Fig. V2,With the locking-pin elevated and the knuckle swung out of the dottedposition shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4, asectional View of the coupler also onthe line a: .fr of Fig. 2, showing the knuckle in coupled position asper the full lines in Fig. 2 and with the locking-pin down; Fig. 5, aplan and elevation of the upper thmble, and Fig. 6 a side and plan Viewof the thmble-caps.

Referring now in detail to my coupler l have shown at 1, a stout platewhich I term the draft plate. It has a flange 2 at the bottom and holes3 near the sides. It is fitted to the cross timber, say of a locomotivetender, It is provided with two pairs of ears, the upper` pairconsisting of the ears 4 and 5 and the lower pair of the ears 6 and 7.Itis further pro` having an interior bead or rib 9 and screwthreaded atits upper end to receive a screwthreaded part or cap l0. The thmble andits part 10 are shouldered, as shown, to prevent longitudinaldisplacement, the former shoulder 8 preventing the thimbles from turningwhen the cap or part 10 is screwed on; the shoulder 9 of the latterbeing octagonal. In thelower ears I place another thmble 11,screw-threaded at its lower end to receive its screw-threaded part orcap 12. This thmble and cap are shouldered the same as the thimble 8 andcap 10. I form the thmble 1l With a contracted part to form a shoulder13 to prevent the locking pin 14 from dropping down and being lost incase its clevis 15 should be broken off or lost. This pin 14 is groovedout longitudinally, as seen at 16 so that when lower sets of ears 4 and5 and. 6 and 7. The

axis of the thimbles is on the central draft line, and thus this pivotedhead pulls from an axis which is coincident with the central draft line.The head swings laterally on its pivot more or less as the lateralrocking of the cars and the turning of curves, occasion. In this pivotedhead I mount a knuckle 19, Whose outer horn 20 has a pin-hole 2l and anotch 22 for coupling a link to it, and whose inner arm 23 passes inbetween the ear 5 and the ear 6 of the draft plate. pin-hole 24 throughwhich the lock pin 14 is dropped to lock the knuckle. When the knuckleis in uncoupled position, as shown `by the dotted lines in Fig. 8 and bythe section in Fig. 10 the pin 14 rests on the inner horn 23, and whenthe knuckle is engaged by the knuckle of the opposing coupler it swingsback and the hole 24 passes under the pin v14,

This horn has a ICO y eaoo when the latter4 drops to the position shownin Figs. 1 and 4. In order to permit the pin to cant over to one side itwill be seen that the thimble 8 is cut away on the inside as seen at 16in Figs. 3 and 4.

It will be seen that the ears of the draft plate extend ont a littlebeyond the forward wall or face of the horn 23 of the knuckle when thelatter is in coupled position, and about flush with the front walls ofthe wings 18 of the head. Consequently the forward face of the outerhorn of `the approaching knuckle will strike against these ears, andthus bring the impact against the draft plate, a strong structure lirmlyshouldered against the car frame, instead of against the said forwardwall of the receiving horn 23, which would throw the strain upon the pin14, principally, and even somewhat upon the pivotpin of the knuckle 25,and instead of against the wings of the head which would throw thestrain against the thimbles.

Referring now to the openingof the knuckle, it is shown at its lower endas interloeked, as seen at 26, with an annulus 27, fitted to the recess28 in the head and having inclines 29 riding upon corresponding inclines30 formed on projections which extend into said recess 2S. Vhen theknuckle is in coupled position, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, theinclines` of the annulus are well up on the tixed inclines. Thus whenthe locking pin 14 is withdrawn the gravity of the knuckle 19 will swingit outward to uncoupled position by the action of these inclines, suchuncoupled position being shown by dotted linesin Fig. 2. This feature ofthe annulus and inclines, however, is the subject of said Letters PatentNo. 519,725, above mentioned.

Thus it will be seen that myinvention comprehends an improved bearingfor the rock shaft by which the locking pin is drawn out; an improvedbuffer which produces good results; an improved draft plate combinedwith a pivoted draft head, a pivoted knuckle and a locking device forthe knuckle, and I wish to be understood as laying a broad claim to thislatter combination of four elements.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a car coupler, the combination with a draft plate, of a draft headpivoted thereto and a knuckle pivoted to the head, and alocking devicefor the knuckle.

2. In a car coupler, the combination with the draft plate of a headpivoted thereto, a knuckle pivoted to the head and a locking device forthe knuckle carried by the draft plate.

3. In a car coupler, the combination with the draft plate, of a headpivoted thereto with the pivot axis coincident with the central draftline of the plate, a knuckle pivoted to the head at one side of saiddraft line and a locking device for the knuckle, located centrally withrespect to said draft line.

It. In a car coupler, the combination with a draft plate and a headpivoted thereto, of a knuckle pivoted to the head and having means toautomatically swing the knuckle outward by the action of itsgravitation, and a locking device for the knuckle.

5. In a car coupler, the combination with the draft plate and the headpivoted thereto on a pivot whose axis is coincident with the centraldraft line of the plate, of a knuckle pivoted to the head at one side`of said line and having means to automatically swing it outward by theaction of its gravity, and a locking pin carried by the plate andlocated centrally with respect to said draft line.

6. In a carconpler, the combination with a draft plate having an upperand a lower set of ears with a space between each set and beltween theears of each set, thimbles mounted in the ears, and a locking pin in thethimbles, ahead pivoted on the thimbles with wings fitted between theears of each set, and the knuckle pivoted to the head and having itsinner horn adapted to swing in the space between the sets of ears, and ahole to receive the locking pin.

7. In a car coupler, the combination with a draft plate having an upperand a lower set of ears, and athimbleineach setof ears,each thimblehaving a cap or piece screwed thereon, the thimbles and caps or piecesbeing shouldered.

8. Ina car coupler, the combination with a draft plate having ears andthimbles mounted therein, one of which has an interior rib or bead atone side and is cut away at the opposite side of its interior, of a headcarried by the plate and a knuckle carried by the head and having a pinaperture in its inner horn, and a locking pin grooved to tit said rib orbead by which it is canted to one side when lifted up, whereby it ismade to rest upon the knuckle horn.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

RODNEY F. LUDLOW.

Vitnesses:

OLIVER H. MILLER, W. M. MONAIR.

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